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What's so great
about camp?
Camp is a very special place where grownups
help kids feel good about themselves. They
encourage you to try new things and teach
you new skills. And you make lots of new
friends, because at camp you learn how to
be a good friend. At camp, everyone is listened
to and respected. You get to make choices
on your own, but you always feel safe. Camp
is like a little community, where everyone's
opinion is heard, and kids work and play
together. There's just no other place like
camp, because camp is a town built just
for kids!
Why shouldn't I
just stay home and do what I want?
You might think it will be more fun to just
stay home and do nothing, but believe us,
camp is nonstop fun! There's such a variety
of activities that you never get bored.
And you always have friends; everyone's
always home at camp! It's not like school
at all. Even though there may be a schedule
to follow, you are doing great things with
great people.
What would a day
at camp be like?
Camp is filled with different kinds of activities.
If you're going to day camp, the fun begins
as soon as the bus picks you up! If you're
thinking about a resident camp, you'll probably
wake up, along with the other kids in your
bunk, to the sounds of the bugle (it's called
"Reveille" -- pronounced "re-ve-lee"),
get dressed, and go to breakfast. Depending
on the camp you select, you will spend the
day doing activities you really like. Of
course you'll stop for lunch - maybe a barbecue
or a picnic. Day campers will go home on
their buses in the late afternoon, and look
forward to returning to camp the next day.
Resident campers will keep on going right
through the evening with Evening Activities,
which are all kinds of fun and special things.
Bedtime is often signaled by the bugle playing
"Taps" and then it's lights out
after some quiet bunk time.
Will I get to choose
activities?
The amount of choice you have will depend
upon the actual camp you and your family
select. At most camps, there is at least
some choice. Sometimes you make selections
for yourself and sometimes the group or
bunk decides together what they want to
do. Usually, when you are younger, there
are fewer choices because it's good to try
new things so you can learn what you like
and what you don't. As you get older, you
are ready to make more choices and focus
on areas that are of special interest to
you.
What are some of
the activities?
It's probably almost impossible to name
every activity at every camp. Here's list
of many activities that many camps offer:
arts and crafts, archery, baseball, basketball,
canoeing, ceramics, computers, confidence
course, cooking, dance, dramatics, handball,
hockey, fine arts, fishing, Frisbee, football,
gymnastics, hiking, horseback riding, kickball,
lacrosse, miniature golf, music, nature,
petting zoo, ping pong, playgrounds, relay
races, rocketry, ropes course, rollerblading,
sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis,
track and field, volleyball, woodworking...
The list goes on and on. Then there are
specialty camps that offer everything from
caving to scuba diving and everything in
between.
What if I'm not
good at sports?
At camp, there are trained, caring counselors
to help you learn new skills. Not everyone
is good at everything; everyone has strengths.
Maybe yours is sports in general, or a particular
sport, or no sport. That's okay. There will
be people to encourage you and you will
succeed at your level. You are never measured
at anyone else's performance ability level.
And camp is not all sports -- unless you
choose a sports specialty camp -- but a
combination of athletics, the arts and hobbies.
You will be accepted for who you are, so
you don't need worry about how you will
stack up against others.
What if I don't
know anybody and other kids already have
friends?
Camp is a great place to make new friends.
It's a place to learn how to be a friend,
too. The counselors' main job is to help
you make new friends. And there are plenty
of kids who come to camp without knowing
anyone. It's actually great to have winter
friends AND summer friends. You get a chance
to leave everything behind when you come
to camp and start over -- with new friends
and new experiences. You get extra practice
in making a friend and being a friend! You'll
be very comfortable whether you come to
camp knowing someone or not.
Will I fit in?
Again, the counselors make sure that everyone
gets along together. They teach you to trust
that you're a person who's good to know.
You don't have to be best friends with everyone,
but you're sure to find a few people who
share the same interests you do. And these
are the people who will be your good friends.
At camp, you also learn to respect people's
differences and accept them for who they
are.
What about the
counselors?
This is one of the best parts of camp! Counselors
are chosen because they love kids and respect
them and listen to them. It's their job
to make sure that you are having fun, are
making friends, are doing lots of different
activities, and that you are safe. They
spend a lot of time before camp begins in
learning to do all these things for campers.
And they love to have fun, too!
What if I have a
problem?
There are lots of people at camp, besides
your counselors, to help take care of you,
depending on what you need. There is a nurse
or a doctor if you don't feel well and a
special place, sometimes called an Infirmary,
to rest until you are better. You can count
on the grownups who are at camp to help
you with any problem you may have.
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